The Power of Preparedness: Why Women and Girls Must Be Involved in Shaping the Future of Artificial Intelligence

Today, our lives are shaped by decisions made by algorithms in ways that can be easy to overlook. From targeted ads and personalized recommendations to critical diagnoses in healthcare, artificial intelligence (AI) is an invisible yet powerful force in society. While its potential is vast, so are the risks—particularly when it comes to reinforcing biases already present in our world.

For women and girls, being prepared for the AI era is more than keeping up with tech trends. It’s essential to ensure their voices are part of the story, their insights embedded in the systems shaping our future. This article explores why AI literacy is crucial and the concrete steps women and girls can take to become active participants in this space.

Understanding AI Literacy: Beyond Basic Tech Skills

AI literacy includes knowing how to navigate digital tools and understanding how algorithms are built, how data influences them, and how outcomes should be critically assessed. Without this knowledge, women risk being passive users of technology, missing the chance to influence systems that touch every part of society—from hiring practices to healthcare protocols.

The reality is that AI systems often carry the biases found in the data they’re trained on. If that data reflects historical inequalities, the outcomes can exacerbate those disparities. For instance, a recruitment tool trained on a male-dominated dataset may favor male candidates, deepening gender gaps in the workplace. Understanding these mechanisms empowers women to question, challenge, and reshape them.

The Consequences of Exclusion

When women’s voices are left out of AI’s development, the risks are real and far-reaching. Consider the case where Amazon’s AI recruitment tool penalized resumes with the word “women’s”—a stark reminder of how biased data can lead to biased outcomes. These issues extend beyond the workplace: facial recognition technologies, for example, have higher error rates for women and women of color, potentially leading to wrongful identification or limited access to services.

What Needs to Be Done

1. Learn AI and Coding Basics: Familiarity with how AI works—from data input to algorithmic decision-making—enables women to contribute meaningfully to its development. Programs like AI4ALL, a US-based nonprofit dedicated to increasing diversity and inclusion in AI education, research, development, and policy, help bridge this gap, offering resources that equip women and girls with essential skills.

2. Advocate for Ethical AI: Women need to champion transparency and fairness in AI. The work of pioneers like Joy Buolamwini, founder of the Algorithmic Justice League, whose Gender Shades project exposed biases in facial recognition, underscores the impact of women’s leadership and advocacy.

3. Use AI for Social Good: AI can also be a tool for positive change. Organizations like AI for Good, is driving forward technological solutions that measure and advance the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. They create impact by bringing together a broad network of interdisciplinary researchers, nonprofits, governments, and corporate actors. Women innovators can create apps that promote safety, enhance business operations for female entrepreneurs, or address healthcare disparities with tools designed to understand their specific needs.

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The exclusion of women from AI development could result in a future where technology continues to perpetuate inequality. If the systems that will govern healthcare, law enforcement, and education are predominantly designed by men, they may fail to account for the needs and perspectives of half the population. Without diverse voices at the table, AI could entrench historical biases, leading to more gender-based discrimination in everything from job recruitment to financial services.

But there is also a significant opportunity here. By becoming AI literate, women can shape the technologies that will define the future. They can build tools that address the challenges they face, from the gender pay gap to underrepresentation in leadership roles, ensuring that AI works for—not against—them.